U.S. patent application number 09/903967 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-16 for stairclimber apparatus pedal mechanism.
Invention is credited to Anderson, Timothy T., DeKnock, Byron T., Termion, Mark C..
Application Number | 20030013582 09/903967 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25418320 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030013582 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Anderson, Timothy T. ; et
al. |
January 16, 2003 |
Stairclimber apparatus pedal mechanism
Abstract
A simulated stair climbing-type exercise apparatus is provided
having a frame, a resistance member, a transmission, a drive belt,
a right pedal assembly, a left pedal assembly and a track mounted
to the frame to provide a user with a vertically reciprocating
exercise movement. The right pedal assembly, operating
independently of the left pedal assembly and having a set of
rollers engaged with the track, oscillates between an upper
position at rest and a lower position under the weight of the user.
The left pedal assembly, operating independently of the right pedal
assembly and having a set of rollers engaged with the track,
oscillates between an upper position at rest and a lower position
under the weight of the user. The pedal assemblies remain parallel
to a support surface throughout their entire range of motion, as
the pedal assemblies travel from their upper position to their
lower position.
Inventors: |
Anderson, Timothy T.;
(Antioch, IL) ; DeKnock, Byron T.; (Des Plaines,
IL) ; Termion, Mark C.; (Winfield, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael B. McMurry
1210 Astor St.
Chicago
IL
60610
US
|
Family ID: |
25418320 |
Appl. No.: |
09/903967 |
Filed: |
July 12, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/52 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/0053 20130101;
A63B 2225/30 20130101; A63B 24/00 20130101; A63B 2022/0038
20130101; A63B 22/205 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/52 |
International
Class: |
A63B 022/04 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A simulated stair climbing-type exercise apparatus comprising: a
stationary frame adapted for placement on a horizontal surface; a
first pedal assembly having a first pedal at least one roller and a
second pedal assembly having a second pedal and at least one
roller, movable with respect to said frame in a generally vertical
direction; a resistance force mechanism secured to said frame; a
transmission including a pair of one way clutches for directly
connecting said first pedal assembly and said second pedal assembly
to said resistance force means such that said resistance force
mechanism is effective to apply a resistance force opposing said
first pedal assembly and said second pedal assembly movement in a
downward direction; a first flexible member connecting said first
pedal assembly to said one of said pair of one way clutches and a
second flexible member connecting said second pedal assembly to
said other of said pair of one way clutches; and a first and a
second track member secured to said frame, said roller of said
first pedal assembly operably engaged with said first track member
and roller of said second pedal assembly operably engaged with said
second track members such that said first pedal and said second
pedal are maintained generally parallel to a predetermined plane
throughout their reciprocating motion between an upper position and
a lower position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a first return
mechanism and a second return mechanism, said first return
mechanism attached to said first flexible member and said frame,
and said second return mechanism attached to said second flexible
member and said frame.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second flexible
members are connected to said first and second pedal assemblies
such that said first and second flexible members are generally
planer with respect to said first and second track members.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first pedal assembly and
said second pedal assembly each includes a support bracket and
wherein said of rollers are rotatably mounted to said support
brackets.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein at least one of said plurality
of rollers are aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the
apparatus and at least one of said plurality of rollers are aligned
parallel to a lateral axis of the apparatus.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first track member and
said second track member are generally configured as an I-beam.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first track member and
said second track member are generally linear in configuration and
are secured to said frame in a generally vertical orientation.
8. A simulated stair climbing-type exercise apparatus comprising: a
frame adapted for placement on a horizontal surface; a first pedal
assembly having a first pedal and a second pedal assembly having a
second pedal, movable with respect to said frame in a vertical
direction; a resistance mechanism secured to said frame; a
transmission including a pair of one way clutches for directly
connecting said first pedal assembly and said second pedal assembly
to said resistance mechanism such that said resistance mechanism is
effective to apply a resistance force opposing said first pedal
assembly movement in the downward portion of said vertical
direction and said second pedal assembly movement in the downward
portion of said vertical direction; a first drive belt connecting
said first pedal assembly to said one of said pair of one way
clutches and a second drive belt connecting said second pedal
assembly to said other of said pair of one way clutches; a first
return mechanism and a second return mechanism attached to said
frame and said first and second drive belts respectively effective
to move said first and second pedal assemblies in the upward
portion of said vertical movement; and a first track member and a
second track member, said first track member secured to said frame
and said second track member secured to said frame, said first
pedal assembly operably coupled to said first track member and said
second track second pedal assembly operably connected to said
second pedal assembly such that said first pedal and said second
pedal are maintained generally parallel to a predetermined plane
throughout said vertical motion of said first and second pedal
assemblies.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said predetermined plane is
parallel to said support surface.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first track member and
said second track member are substantially linear.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first pedal assembly and
said second pedal assembly additionally include a support bracket
and said rollers are rotatably mounted to said support bracket.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least one of said plurality
of rollers are aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the
apparatus and at least one of said plurality of rollers are aligned
parallel to a lateral axis of the apparatus.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first track member and
said second track member are generally arcuate in
configuration.
14. A simulated stair climbing-type exercise apparatus comprising:
a frame adapted for placement on a horizontal surface; a first
pedal assembly having a first pedal and a second pedal assembly
having a second pedal, movable with respect to said frame in a
generally vertical direction; a resistance mechanism secured to
said frame; a transmission connected to said resistance; a first
flexible member connecting said first pedal assembly to said
transmission and a second flexible member connecting said second
pedal assembly to said transmission; and a first and a second
arcuate track member operably coupled to said first pedal assembly
and said second pedal assembly respectively such that said first
pedal and said second pedal are maintained parallel to a
predetermined plane throughout their motion in said generally
vertical direction between an upper position and a lower
position.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 further including a first return
mechanism having a first spring and a second return mechanism
having a second spring, said first spring is attached to said first
flexible member and said frame, and said second spring is attached
to said second flexible member and said frame.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said arcuate track member
includes a slot formed therein.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said first pedal assembly and
said second pedal assembly each include a pedal lever pivotally
attached to aid frame and a roller rotatably mounted to each of
said pedal assemblies.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said arcuate track member is
centrally located between said first pedal assembly and said second
pedal assembly.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said roller rotatably mounted
to said first pedal assembly and said roller mounted to said second
pedal assembly ride within said slot formed in said respective
arcuate track members as said first pedal assembly and said second
pedal assembly travel between said upper position and said lower
position.
20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said predetermined plane is
generally parallel to said support surface.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to exercise equipment and more
particularly to exercise equipment which simulates aerobic stair
climbing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Stair climbing is recognized as a particularly effective
type of aerobic exercise, and as a result, exercise machines
facilitating this type of exercise are popular for both home and
health club use.
[0003] There have been a variety of approaches taken in designing
stair climbing apparatus, including the simulation of an actual
staircase as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,497,215, 3,747,924,
4,687,195, 5,183,448, 5,263,909 5,299,993 and 5,336,143. Another
approach has been to simulate the action of stair climbing by using
a pair of reciprocating pedals.
[0004] As exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,447, reciprocating
pedal machines include a pair of pedals which are adapted for
vertical reciprocating motion to provide a user who is standing on
the pedals with a simulated climbing exercise. The vertical
reciprocating motion is typically translated into a rotary motion
by a suitable system of belts, gears and clutches, for example. The
rotary motion (which can be imparted to a shaft, flywheel or the
like) is opposed by a variable source of resistance force,
typically an alternator, eddy current brake or the like. The load
device is responsive to a control signal for selectively varying
the level of resistance.
[0005] Other previous attempts at simulating stair climbing
exercisers, such as Potts, Re. 34,959, feature independently
oscillating pedals wherein the speed may be controlled and
monitored by the operator, or may be preselected, controlled and
monitored by computer control programs. Some such apparatuses
produce an unnatural heel to toe flexure that reduces exercise
efficiency. As will be appreciated, in the present invention, the
foot pedal assembly remains parallel to a support surface
throughout its entire range of motion, as the foot pedal assembly
travels from its upper position to its lower position, thereby
producing a more natural heel to toe flexure which increases
exercise efficiency, making it easier and more enjoyable to
exercise.
[0006] Additionally, the Potts disclosure simulates stair climbing
through the utilization of a four-bar linkage pedal system and a
frame plate. One disadvantage of this mechanism is that the angle
in which the drive belts are connected to the pivot arms supporting
the pedals varies as the pedals move up and down. This results in
variations in tension in the belt, torque loads and ultimately
variations on the resistance applied to the pedals. Also, such
four-bar linkage pedal systems with frame plates tend to be noisy,
have numerous pinch points, and substantially increase
manufacturing and repair expense. Moreover, due to the large number
of pivot points in this type of linkage, the linkages frequently
become loose and require frequent maintenance. As a result, it is
desirable to decrease the manufacturing expense, improve the
smoothness of pedal motion, reduce maintenance costs and decrease
noise of stair climbing apparatuses.
[0007] Another previous stair climbing exercise apparatus Is
disclosed in Doll et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,205. In this
apparatus, cables or belts are substituted for the four bar linkage
of Potts which eliminates some of the mechanical problems of this
arrangement. However, the varying angle of connection of the belt
to the pedal support member remains.
[0008] In general, the objective of these systems is to simulate
stair climbing. Stair climbing is characterized by its uniform,
repetitive nature. Ideally, stair climbing apparatuses would
provide a more dynamic climbing simulation to increase user
interest. A need therefore exists for an improved stair climbing
apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is, therefore, a principal object and purpose of the
present invention to provide an exercise apparatus that accurately
and dynamically simulates stair climbing and is of a light weight
and simple design.
[0010] It is an additional principal object and purpose of the
present invention to provide a stair climbing exercise apparatus
that maintains its pedal assembly in a level position, parallel to
a support surface, throughout its entire range of motion, as the
pedal assembly travels from its upper position to its lower
position.
[0011] It is another object and purpose of the present invention to
provide a stair climbing exercise apparatus that simulates a
natural stair climbing exercise and thereby promotes exercise
efficiency.
[0012] It is still another object and purpose of the present
invention to provide a stair climbing exercise apparatus wherein
the two pedals operate independently of each other. Each pedal is
connected to the transmission by a separate belt drive.
[0013] It is an additional object and purpose of the present
invention to provide a stair climbing exercise apparatus that is
less stressful on the user's body ligaments than running, aerobic
dancing or other aerobic exercises since it eliminates jarring of
the body.
[0014] These and other objectives and advantages are provided by
the present invention which is directed to a stair climbing
exercise apparatus that maintains the user's feet parallel to the
floor throughout the apparatus' entire range of motion. It should
be noted, however, that the exercise apparatus can also maintain
the user's feet at an angle to the support surface if that proves
desirable. The stair climbing exercise apparatus includes a frame
that is adapted for placement on the floor, a resistance member
which provides a resistive force to pedal assemblies, a
transmission including a pair of one way clutches, a drive belt
supported by the frame, independently operating right and left
pedal assemblies including pedals, and a track. The track is
secured to the frame and engages the right and left pedal
assemblies such that the pedal assemblies move in a linear
reciprocating path throughout their entire range of motion, as the
pedal assemblies travel from their upper position to their lower
position. Consequently, as the pedal assemblies move in their
linear reciprocating path, the pedals remain parallel to a
relatively fixed plane, such as the floor.
[0015] A second embodiment of the invention includes a frame, a
resistance member which provides a resistive force to pedal
assemblies, a transmission, a drive belt supported by the frame,
independently operating right and left pedal assemblies including
pedals, and an arcuate track. The track is secured to the frame and
engages the right and left pedal assemblies such that the pedal
assemblies move in an arcuate reciprocating path throughout their
entire range of motion, as the pedal assemblies travel from their
upper position to their lower position. Consequently, as the pedal
assemblies move in their arcuate reciprocating path, the pedals
remain parallel to a relatively fixed plane, such as the floor.
[0016] Both of the above embodiments of the invention can also
include a data input means and a control means. The data input
means permits the user to input control signals. The control means
responds to the input control means to control the resistance
member and apply a braking force to the pedal assemblies. The user
can thus control the amount of resistance offered by the pedal
assemblies and so can vary the degree of effort required to move
the pedals. The invention thus can accommodate the individual needs
and desires of different users.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description and the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a side view of a stair climbing exercise apparatus
in accordance with the invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away left perspective side view of
a pedal assembly for use with the stair climbing exercise apparatus
in FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the
pedal assembly and linear track member of the stair climbing
exercise apparatus in FIG. 2;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the right pedal
assembly for the stair climbing exercise apparatus in FIG. 2;
and
[0022] FIG. 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of a pedal
assembly and arcuate track member of a stair climbing exercise
apparatus in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1 and 2 depict
the preferred embodiment of a stair climbing-type exercise
apparatus 10 that includes a tubular frame 12, a control panel 14,
a right pedal assembly 16 including a pedal 17 and a left pedal
assembly 18 including a pedal 19. The frame 12 acts as the
supporting structure for the stair climbing-type exercise apparatus
10 and can be of any suitable construction. It should also be
understood that a number of different frame structures can be used
to support the elements of the apparatus 10 such as the frames
shown in the existing stair climbers described above. In the
illustrated preferred embodiment, the frame 12 includes a generally
U-shaped support member 20, a longitudinal support member 22
secured to the U-shaped support member 20, a cross member 24
secured to the longitudinal support member 22, a generally curved
support member 26 secured to the longitudinal support member 22, a
first vertical support member 28 secured to the curved support
member 26, a second vertical support member 30 secured to the
curved support member 26 and the longitudinal support member 22,
and a cross member 32 secured to the second vertical support member
30. The first vertical support member 28 provides support for the
control panel 14. Additionally, handrails 31, including handgrips
33, are rigidly secured to the U-shaped support member 20.
[0024] The U-shaped support member 20, the longitudinal support
member 22 and the cross member 24 are configured for placement on a
floor 34. Levelers 36 are provided on the U-shaped support member
20 so that if the floor 34 is uneven, the U-shaped support member
20 can be raised or lowered such that the U-shaped support member
20, the longitudinal support member 22 and the cross member 24 are
substantially level. Rollers 38 are provided on the cross member 24
so that the stair climbing-type exercise apparatus 10 can be easily
moved from one location to another.
[0025] The stair climbing-type exercise apparatus 10 includes a
right cover 40 and a left cover (not shown) to protect and shield
from view the internal components of the stair climbing-type
exercise apparatus 10. The central location of the internal
components, between the legs of the user, provides stability to the
stair climbing-type exercise apparatus 10 and allows for a
lightweight and simple design.
[0026] As described above, the pedal assemblies 16 and 18 oscillate
independently of each other. As a result, when the right pedal 17
moves, it is not necessary that the left pedal 19 be also in
motion. The operation of the right pedal assembly 16 is similar to
the operation of the left pedal assembly 18. Thus, the operation of
only the left pedal assembly 18 will be described. The left pedal
assembly 18 is connected to a drive belt 42. The drive belt 42 can
be connected to the left pedal assembly 18 in any way suitable to
fixedly secure the drive belt 42 to the left pedal assembly 18. For
example, the drive belt 42 can be connected to the left pedal
assembly 18 by a winglet or a leaf spring. As shown in FIG. 4, the
drive belt 42 can be secured to the left pedal assembly 18 by a
U-shaped belt clamp 44 and bolt (not shown) which permits rapid and
convenient release of the drive belt 42 although preferably the
clamp 44 can be replaced by a semicircular portion of a grooved
pulley. Since this attachment method results in the attachment of
the drive belt 42 being essentially in the same plane as the pedal
assembly 18, tensile forces on the drive belt 42 are essentially
constant as the pedal assembly 18 moves up and down. Therefore, the
force on the drive belt 42 and the torque applied from a resistance
mechanism attached to the drive belt 42 will remain substantially
more constant than in the previous stair climber apparatus
discussed above.
[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 2, once connected to the left pedal
assembly 18, the drive belt 42 first engages a smooth idler pulley
46 rotatably mounted to the second vertical support member 30 by
any suitable mounting means such as a shaft. Preferably, the outer
surface of the pulley 46 is crowned in order to maintain the belt
42 centered on the pulley 46. Thereafter, the drive belt 42
continues down and engages a grooved clutch pulley 48. The grooved
clutch pulley 48 is rotatably mounted to the second vertical
support member 30 through a shaft 50. A second smooth idler pulley
52 operates to maintain the drive belt 42 in engagement with the
grooved clutch pulley 48. The second smooth idler pulley 52 is
located in close proximity to the grooved clutch pulley 48 and is
rotatably mounted to a shaft 54 by any suitable mounting means. The
shaft 54 is in turn secured to the second vertical support member
30. With continued reference to FIG. 2, the drive belt 42 is also
connected to a return spring 56 by a connector 58. The connector 58
can be any suitable connector known in the art. In the preferred
embodiment, the connector 58 is a bolt and clamp arrangement. The
return spring 56 travels over a guide sheave or pulley wheel 60
rotatably mounted to a shaft 62 by any suitable mounting means. The
shaft 62 is in turn secured to the curved support member 26 in
close proximity to the first vertical support member 28.
Thereafter, the end of the return spring 56 is secured to the
longitudinal support member 22 by any suitable securing means known
in the art. In the preferred embodiment, the end of the spring 56
is hooked over a post 64 mounted to the longitudinal support member
22. The spring 56 has sufficient tension to return the left pedal
assembly 18 to an upper position as illustrated in FIG. 2. When the
user steps on the left pedal 19, the return spring 56 will extend
so as to allow the end of the drive belt 42 attached to the spring
56 to move downward towards the floor 34. When the user's foot is
lifted, the spring 56 will cause the left pedal assembly 18 to
return to the upper position as illustrated in FIG. 2. The weight
of the user, thus activates the pedal assemblies 16 and 18. Again,
the operation of the right pedal assembly 16 is similar to the
operation of the left pedal assembly 18.
[0028] In order to regulate the rate at which the right pedal
assembly 16 and the left pedal assembly 18 can be moved and thus
control the rate of simulated stair climbing, a variable source of
resistance force is provided. Preferably, the variable source of
resistance force is an alternator 66 and its associated combined
flywheel and pulley 68 secured to the curved support member 26 as
illustrated in FIG. 2. Rotational resistance is applied from the
alternator 66 to the combined flywheel and pulley 68 and then to
the drive belt 42 by a double reduction transmission 70. The double
reduction transmission 70 includes the combined flywheel and pulley
68, a belt 74 connected to the combined flywheel and pulley 68 and
a pulley 76 rotatably coupled to a stationary shaft 78, a second
pulley 80 coupled to the pulley 76 which is mounted on the shaft
78, and a drive belt 82 connecting the second pulley 80 to a third
pulley 84 which is in turn coupled to the shaft 50. The belt 74 and
the drive belt 82 can be any type of belt which promotes quiet
operation of the stair climbing-type exercise apparatus 10, or
drive chains, or any other type of flexible power transmitting
device.
[0029] In addition, a pair of one way clutches 86, which are
commonly known in the art and discussed in the previously described
stair climbers, are utilized to connect each grooved clutch pulley
48 to the shaft 50. The function of the one way clutches 86 is to
ensure that torque is only transmitted in one direction to the the
shaft 50 and hence the alternator 66 can only rotate in one
direction even though each grooved clutch pulley 48 will be
rotating in both directions due to the reciprocating motion of the
right pedal assembly 16 and the left pedal assembly 18.
[0030] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stair climbing-type
exercise apparatus 10 further includes a right linear track member
88 and a left linear track member 90. The right linear track member
88 and the left linear track member 90 are secured to the U-shaped
support member 20 at a bottom portion thereof and the cross member
32 at a top portion thereof by any suitable securing means.
[0031] With reference to FIG. 4, the right pedal assembly 16 and
the left pedal assembly 18 will be described in further detail. As
with the operation, the description of the right pedal assembly 16
is similar to the description of the left pedal assembly 18. Thus,
the description of only the right pedal assembly 16 will be
discussed. The right pedal assembly 16 includes the pedal 17, a
track engaging bracket 94 and a support bracket 96 which supports
and connects the pedal 17 to the track engaging bracket 94.
[0032] The pedal 17 includes a pad portion 98 which forms the tread
portion of the right pedal assembly 16 and a U-shaped foot
retaining wall 100 which aids in keeping the user's foot within the
pad portion 98. The track engaging bracket 94 is generally
U-shaped, and includes a flange portion 102 and a drive belt
retaining portion 104. The drive belt retaining portion 104 is
generally taller than the flange portion 102 and is located in
close proximity to the second vertical support member 30. A set of
longitudinal rollers 106 are rotatably mounted to an inner surface
108 of the track engaging bracket 94. A set of lateral rollers
including a roller 110 mounted to the flange portion 102, and a
roller 112, rotatably mounted to the drive belt retaining portion
104, is used to retain the right pedal assembly 16 in the track 90
and permit the assembly 16 to move in a generally vertical
direction along the track 90. Rollers 106, 110 and 112 are mounted
by any suitable mounting means. In the preferred embodiment, as
shown in FIG. 4, the rollers 106, 110 and 112 are mounted to the
track engaging bracket 94 through apertures 114 by use of a nut 116
and a bolt 118 arrangement. For clarity purposes, a roller located
above In the preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, the rollers 106
and the roller 110 are arranged so as to provide the maximum amount
of contact with the right linear track member 88 along with maximum
support in the longitudinal and lateral directions. Other
arrangements of rollers can be used depending upon, for example,
the configurations of the tracks 88 and 90. It should also be noted
that there are a number of ways in which the previously described
drive belt retaining portion 104 can be configured including
substituting a sectioned part of a grooved pulley, such as pulley
48, for the U-shaped belt clamp 44 to secure the drive belt 42 to
the right pedal assembly 16.
[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the right linear track member 88
and the left linear track member 90 are each configured with a
right track portion 120 and a left track portion 122. The right
track portion 120 includes a track 124 and the left track portion
122 includes a track 126. Although the tracks 124 and 126 can have
a variety of cross sectional configurations, the track 124 is shown
as having a hexagonal shape, the preferred shape for both tracks
124 and 126 is rectangular as indicated by the track 126 in FIG. 3.
With continued reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, during operation,
rollers 106 ride within hexagonally shaped track 124 and
rectangularly shaped track 126. For the right pedal assembly 16,
roller 112 rides primarily on the left track portion 122 while
roller 110 rides primarily on the right track portion 120. In this
regard, the left pedal assembly 18 is a mirror image of the right
pedal assembly 16. Thus, for the left pedal assembly 18, roller 112
rides primarily on the right track portion 120 while roller 110
rides primarily on the left track portion 122.
[0034] In order to operate the stair climbing-type exercise
apparatus 10, the user will grasp the the hand rails 31 or the
handgrips 33 and step up onto both the right pedal 17 and the left
pedal 19. Under the weight of the user, the pedal assemblies 16 and
18 will move downward to their lowermost position near the floor
34. The user will then press the start/enter key on the control
panel 14, which will prompt the user to enter the required
information and to select among the various programs. First, the
user is prompted to enter the user's weight. The control panel 14
then lists the various exercise programs and prompts the user to
select a program. Once a program is chosen, the control panel 14
prompts the user to provide program-specific information. After the
user has entered all the program-specific information, the user is
Prompted to specify the goal type (time or calories), to specify
the desired exercise duration in either total time or total
calories, and to chose between one of the numerous exercise levels.
Once the user has entered all the required parameters, a
microprocessor implements the chosen exercise program based on the
information provided by the user. The user will then begin the
simulated stair climbing exercise, adjusting his or her step length
to a comfortable one. When the user then operates the right pedal
assembly 16 and the left pedal assembly 18 in the previously
described manner, the right pedal assembly 16 moves along the right
linear track member 88 while the left pedal assembly 18 moves along
and the left linear track member 90, in a linear path that
simulates a natural heel to toe flexure that minimizes or
eliminates stresses due to unnatural foot flexures since the pedal
assemblies remain parallel to a relatively fixed plane, such as the
floor 34 throughout their entire range of motion, as the pedal
assemblies 16 and 18 travel from their upper position to their
lower position. It should be noted, however, that the right pedal
17 and the left pedal 19 can be set at an angle to the floor 34 if
such a position should prove desirable. The stair climbing-type
exercise apparatus 10 thus provides a wide variety of exercise
programs that can be tailored to the specific needs and desires of
individual users, and consequently, enhances exercise efficiency
and promotes a pleasurable exercise experience.
[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates a second general embodiment 150 of a
stair climbing-type exercise apparatus according to the invention.
As noted previously, the second embodiment 150 of the invention
includes a second type of pedal assembly and a second type of
track, but still exhibits the desired parallel relationship between
the pedal assemblies and a relatively fixed plane, such as a floor.
As with the previous embodiment 10, the stair climbing-type
exercise apparatus 150 includes, but is not limited to, the frame
12, the control panel 14, the drive belt 42, and the various motion
controlling components, such as the alternator 66, the double
reduction transmission 70, the combined flywheel and pulley 68, the
belt 74, the drive belt 82 and the one way clutches 86. The stair
climbing-type exercise apparatus 150 differs primarily from the
previous embodiment 10 in the nature and construction of the pedal
assemblies and the track.
[0036] The stair climbing-type exercise apparatus 150 includes a
right pedal assembly 152, a left pedal assembly (not shown) and an
arcuate track member 154. As with the previous embodiment 10, the
operation and description of the right pedal assembly 152 is
similar to the operation and description of the left pedal assembly
(not shown). Thus, the operation and description of only the right
pedal assembly 152 will be discussed.
[0037] The right pedal assembly 152 of the stair climbing-type
exercise apparatus 150 includes a lever arm 156 and a pedal 158.
The drive belt 42 is connected to the lever arm 156 by a connector
160. The connector 160 can be any suitable connector as previously
discussed or known in the art. The lever arm 156 is pivotably
coupled to the longitudinal support member 22 at a pivot point 162.
Likewise, the pedal 158 is pivotably coupled to the lever arm 156
at a pivot point 164. The pedal 158 includes a foot pad portion 166
which forms the tread portion of the pedal 158 and side walls 168.
A roller 170 is rotatably mounted to an inner surface of the side
walls 168 by any suitable mounting means.
[0038] With continued reference to FIG. 5, the arcuate track member
154 is centrally located between the right pedal assembly 152 and
the left pedal assembly (not shown). The arcuate track member 154
is secured to the longitudinal support member 22 and to the first
vertical support member 28 by any suitable securing means. The
arcuate track member 154 also includes a centrally located slot 172
formed therein. As such, the roller 170, mounted to the pedal 158,
rides within the slot 172 formed in the arcuate track member 154
during the pedal's entire range of motion, from its upper position
to its lower position.
[0039] In this embodiment, the stair climbing-type exercise
apparatus 150 can use the same programs as the previously describes
apparatus 10. When the user then operates the stair climbing-type
exercise apparatus 150 as described above, the pedal assemblies
move along the arcuate track member 154 in an arcuate path that
simulates a natural heel to toe flexure that minimizes or
eliminates stresses due to unnatural foot flexures since the pedal
assemblies remain parallel to a relatively fixed plane, such as the
floor 34 throughout their entire range of motion, as the pedal
assemblies travel from their upper position to their lower
position.
[0040] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood
that various changes and modifications will be suggested to one
skilled in the art and it is intended that the invention encompass
such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the
appended claims.
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